Hotel Kämp — Hotel in Helsinki sub-region

This is the crown jewel of the hotels here in Helsinki. Whole hotel oozes of luxury and wealth. Furnishings and decor is out of this world and reminds me the style of the 19th century. Hotel Kamp is truly in league of It's own compared to other hotels in Finland. There is no hotel in Helsinki that is anywhere near as grandiose as Hotel Kamp. Hotel Kamp is on the top of the food chain and something that every hotel wishes to be. It has such a long and rich history that you could write a book about it. Interior design is just breathtaking. Beautiful luxurious chandeliers, pillars, grand stairwells, mirror halls i could continue this list on and on but it would take too long for one review to list everything that kamp has to offer and see. Kamp is not only a hotel, place to rest your weary head but wonder, sight that everyone should experience at least once in their life time.

Room We stayed in executive room which was spacious and everything in the room oozed classical style, that glamour of old. Stunningly beautiful and spacious marble bathroom had separate bath and shower plus double sinks.  Kingsize bed was extremely comfortable and I didn't wake up a single time which was something out of ordinary as usually in hotels I have difficulties to sleep well. Dominating aspect of the room was huge writing desk. Sitting behind it made me feel like a king. It is easily the best hotel room we've ever been. Tv of course had chromecast but as we went to marvel the hotel we didn't have really time or interest to use it. Views from window were to a shopping street but we were not here to look from the window and if anything room itself was the view. Fun touch was the rubber duck in bathtub which kept me company while I was relaxing and soaking my body in hot water after my tough workout.

Remember if you book yourself executive room you also get access to beautiful upper lounge where you can enjoy free soft drinks, beers, wines and snacks. I recommend it as kamp experience wouldn't be complete without it. Wherever in hotel we went we always felt welcomed and service was always top notch. When I told I would be using spa and gym they gave us executive room from the same floor which was such a nice gesture and so thoughtful of them.

Gym

Even though not the biggest gym I've seen in the hotel it was still adequate and it did fit for my workout style perfectly well. Equipments were fairly new and had good amount of variety to do all i needed to do for upper body workout. If workout makes you hungry and you need some quick way to energise yourself then don't forget to grab some fruits from the fruit bowl.

Breakfast

Breakfast was served in first floor restaurant. At breakfast staff came to ask regularly if we needed anything and they were always polite and every request we had was met with a smile. After let down of St George we were pleasantly surprised that Kamp did triumph it even in breakfast category as selection was nicely varied with huge selection of different kind of juices. Omelet that i ordered to the table was delicious as was my wife's pancake. We loved to sit on the enclosed terrace while enjoying our breakfast and watching Helsinki wake up slowly to a new day. It was another little luxurious moment which completed our stay.

Final thoughts What can i say that i haven't said already. If you are searching the most luxurious hotel in Helsinki then search no more as this is it. You can't get any better than this in Helsinki.  Of course it was not cheap but it was truly worth of every penny we paid. If you have the money then I recommend right away to upgrade to at least executive room as then you get access to kamp upper lounge which is experience of its own.

Room itself was also sight for sore eyes and had that beautiful classical style that reminded me of 19th century. Bed was extremely comfortable and we slept our night well. Staff and service was top notch and always there when we needed them. Gym was adequate and had everything I needed for good upper body workout. Breakfast was surprisingly good....

I would love to give the full 5 stars, but unfortunately the breakfast was so underwhelming that I must deduct one star. ||First if all, this is the most legendary hotel in Finland. Even tho the Hotel Maria has opened (soon to be Waldorf Astoria), Kämp is much more elegant and traditional in a way. Very descreet and private. ||The service was always top notch. Even tho Finland is not know for its great and friendly service (as it really shouldnt), the staff at Kämp were truly professional and provided first class service. Soft smiles and always helpful attitude ready to offer any service needed. ||The room was also top notch. Maybe even better than top notch. A great mix of modern and classic and elegant. Every detail was finished. The two twin corner suite we had was massive, with 2 separate bedrooms. The airconditioning was also very strong, great in summer. The bed was incredibly soft and comfy. ||The gym was definitely not a highlight, as it was placed into a random corner with a few gadgets and some yoga mats. ||The location is also as good as possible in Helsinki. Literally steps away from everything. ||The only major disappointment was the lounge and breakfast. I did not even know they had a ”club” lounge, but perhaps its a good thing they do not advertise it, as the snacks consisted of some crackers, chocolate and cookies and ham. It could ve compared to the free snacks coctail bars offer when you arrive. ||The breakfast was not much better. We were offered a menu, where the attendant told we could order eggs any style. I straight away asked for a scrambled egg with ham. Then she took the menus and we went to explore the buffet. The buffet was very small, and missed some must-haves. There was no smoothie / youghurt with a flavor, other than a vegan version. No desserts such as pancakes, waffle, muffins etc. There was a cinnamonroll tho, which was the highlight of the breakfast together with the croissant, which clearly was not fresh made. The juices were also not frrshly squized, but some water mixtures. The eggs were so oily, that we could nit finish them. At the end, thank god our breakfast was complimentary, as we really left with out feeling full and extremely disappointed. The breakfast was worse than at some Hilton Garden Inns.||At the end, I would visit again if the breakfast is improved drasticly. Otherwise, I would visit Maria...

This property absolutely should not be a part of the Amex FHR program. My wife and I have stayed at many FHR properties all over the world, and this one we would rate dead last.

First, the property is under major renovation, which was not disclosed until about a week prior to our arrival. The noise in the room was annoying, but not unbearable. The noise in other parts, especially the lobby, made it difficult to even speak.

The restaurants/bar have all been combined into a "pop-up" space and is just not up to the level of a FHR property.

The included breakfast was adequate, but full of upcharges. Want a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice? 11 euro. Want a bottle of soda? 4 euro. Who has ever heard of having to pay for orange juice at an included breakfast?

The staff at FHR hotels, until this stay, have always been among the most impressive parts of being at an FHR property. Until Hotel Kamp. Our check in was very brief, possibly because of the extreme construction noise, but at no point did anyone greet us, ask us how our stay was going, or offer guidance for the local area. Not once in two days.

Lastly, there are no room upgrades. The room we booked is the exact room we got, even though the hotel was nearly empty. When I inquired to the front desk, I was told that we had been upgraded to a "premium" room. When I asked what made the room premium, because it appeared to be the room I originally booked, I was told that it was on a higher floor. Let that sink in. We've been upgraded to amazing rooms at amazing properties all over the world using FHR. At Hotel Kamp, we were instead told we were put on a higher floor as an upgrade.

Upon check-in, I checked online and saw several room classes above ours were available for booking, including a junior suite, which would have been a minor upgrade, but an upgrade nontheless.

The positive aspects of this property are location (but there are also a half dozen other hotels within a block or two) and the cleanliness of the property/rooms. The spa is nice, but very small, and can get very crowded if even a few other people are there. Definitely don't stay here just for the spa, there are way nicer spas.

In summary, I felt Hotel Kamp was a shameless tourist money grab. I would encourage Amex to remove this property from the FHR program, or at least suspend it until construction...